Nepal's most-loved pickle: roasted tomatoes blended with garlic, chili, sesame and the citrusy crackle of timur into a tangy, smoky relish. It accompanies almost every Nepali plate, from dal bhat to grilled meats.
Achar means pickle or relish in Nepali, and golbheda ko achar (tomato achar) is the most popular of all, brightened with timur, a Himalayan Sichuan-pepper relative (Zanthoxylum armatum) prized in Nepali kitchens.
Smoky-sweet roasted tomato meets sharp garlic and a slow build of chili heat, all lifted by timur's electric, grapefruit-like tingle. Toasted sesame rounds it into a nutty, lip-smacking relish.
Charring the tomatoes over flame caramelizes their sugars and adds smoky aromatic compounds while loosening the skins. Ground sesame emulsifies the mix into a thick relish, and timur's hydroxy-alpha-sanshool delivers its tingling bite.
Variations
Smooth dip versus chunkier pickle; the tomatoes may be fire-roasted or boiled soft; heavier sesame makes a tomato-sesame achar while heavier timur leans Thakali style. Two keeping styles exist: a fresh roasted (poleko) chutney eaten the same day, and an oil-and-spice-steeped, jarred pickle (khadeko/khandeko) made to keep.
On the Palate
Where Golbheda ko Achar sits in the Nepali flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 18 min
Roast whole tomatoes over an open flame until the skins char and blister.
Watch outChar the tomatoes until the skins go black and split and the flesh slumps — that blister is where the smoky flavor comes from, so don't pull them pale.
- 23 min
Peel off the blackened skins and reserve the smoky flesh.
- 34 min
Dry-roast sesame seeds until golden, then grind to a coarse powder.
Watch outPull the sesame the moment it turns golden and smells nutty — a few seconds past and it tips bitter.
- 44 min
Pound garlic, green chili, timur and salt into a rough paste.
Watch outPound to a rough, uneven paste — you still want to bite into flecks of garlic and timur, not a smooth purée.
- 53 min
Blend the roasted tomatoes with the paste and sesame powder.
- 62 min
Stir in a little mustard oil and chopped coriander.
- 71 min
Adjust salt, chili and lemon to taste.
- 81 min
Serve as a side relish with dal bhat or grilled meat.
